Shadowrun: Crossfire - Coop Deck-Builder

[Nefaro]

Shadowrun?  Solitaire-capable deck builder?

WANT!

http://www.phdgames.com/shadowrun-crossfire-runners-wanted-2/

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/135382/shadowrun-crossfire

[Nefaro]

(p)review?

[Nefaro]

Aug 27 release date.


http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2014/07/22/shadowrun-crossfire-street-date-of-august-27th/

[Nefaro]

This is now in stores.


I had pre-ordered a copy at my area game store just shy of a month ago.  Evidently the girl running the register didn't properly put it in the system.  After going in today, and then calling later, it was like starting from the beginning every time. 

They had two pre-order copies there, but they weren't mine.  After they couldn't find my info in the computer and asked for them again.. twice today.. I estimate it to be a lost cause.  They were using a Mac so I should've expected them to not know their way around the retail software or how to enter my pre-order info.     Didn't help that I spent 3 hours in a waiting room beforehand, getting a repeated hurry-up-and-wait situation at the Doc's.

I am disappoint.  I try to give some business to the local shop on a regular basis but I don't think I'll pre-order there again.  Will just order the thing online and wait another week for it to show up.  Pretty sure I've been rated as "Low Priority" all day long.     Good thing I'm very patient with people most of the time.

Sorry for the melodrama, but I figured most of you have been through one of those days where the service sucks everywhere you go, and could sympathize with my first world problem.  :P

[RooksBailey]

They were using a Mac so I should've expected them to not know their way around the retail software or how to enter my pre-order info.    

LOL!   ;D

But I am sorry to hear about the screwed-up pre-order.  :'(  I remembered that you were expecting this game this week, and came here to see if you had an initial opinion.  Guess I will have to wait while you wait....

Hopefully when you get the game it will make up for the inconvenience.

[Nefaro]

Thanks for the sympathy.  I was already having a similarly bad time everywhere else I had been that day, so it was the perfect way to top it all off.   

The store actually called me the next afternoon, but after having lost my name & number twice (with my pre-order) I had lost all confidence that they had it together.  So I called back and told them to sell it since I already ordered.  They had already sold the four extra shelf copies they received that same day so I'm a bit surprised they still planned on holding it for me, much less retained my number on the third try.  ;D

I should get the game in mid-week and will promptly check it out.  Initial reports seem to be that it's very difficult to succeed at your early runs, but there is a mechanic where you can attempt to abort the mission if it gets too hot, and still gain xp and such.  Since you build up your characters over many runs, I suppose the initial ones aren't gonna be easy until you get the perks of some level-ups primarily this way.

I expect some YouTube vids to pop up in the near future; playthroughs or more reviews. 

[Nefaro]

Received this last night.

Unboxed and read the rules, but haven't played yet. 

The long-term use of the stickers may be a concern, as I'm in no hurry to buy extras in the little expansion thing.  So I will probably just stick them all to some card stock, cut them out, and use paper clips for my long-term characters.  Some extra work I don't want to do, but it'll save me dicking around with peeling stickers back off that will lose their adhesiveness over time.  Although the character sheets are laminated, so I could also just use an erasable marker and write skills in if needed.  Either way, I don't expect to have won enough Karma to purchase my first character skills until at least two games are completed (and likely more if the rumor of the difficulty is correct).

As for the components, I thought the cards were a bit thim as far as deck-builders go.  They're close to Sentinels of the Multiverse or Legendary quality so it's not terrible.  Just not Thunderstone quality (for example).  Some of the artwork is good while some is a bit too simple, but it's generally good and conveys the theme decently and game mechanic symbology well.

My main concern is probably the variety of 'Obstacles' available in this set.  These are the opponents/security systems/etc you must overcome during runs.  With 40 Normal level, and 40 Hard level Obstacle cards, they will all become rather familiar at some point, after some number of runs.  Hopefully later rather than earlier.  With four characters in the basic "Crossfire" style run, we should expect to see at least 15 of the 80 (total) in each successful run.  I expect to see expansions for stuff like this in the future especially since I love the setting.  It's a reasonable expectation when it comes to deck builders because card variety is a must for longevity in this genre.

There are also 'Crossfire' cards, one of which will be in play at any point in a run.  These modify game rules whilst in play, or when removed at the start of the next round.  They also count towards ramping up the difficulty as the run continues, as some Crossfire cards contain nasty setbacks that happen if there have been a number of them already flipped over during this run.  It's an interesting way to steadily put the heat on, yet to keep the players guessing as to what difficulties will pop up next (or their extent). 

The race & role/class selection is only a determination of relative strengths & weaknesses at the start of a run and which extra starter cards you begin with.  While some of the Black Market cards have extra requirements for purchase, such as some spell cards requiring the play of other spell cards that same turn, you're generally free to buy whatever you feel like mixing in with your starting Role deck.   So you're not really restricted by your role selection.

I'll give some more impressions on the mechanics and strategy once I have a few games in.  I can already see how it incorporates the "co-op" part of Multiplayer Co-operative Deck-Builder further than most of the kind.  There looks to be more chances for supporting, covering, and working with your other teammates than many.

[Nefaro]

As with all other Deck-Building games, the theme doesn't really shine through in the game mechanics.  It still comes off as a deck building card game.  I've yearned for an Adventure style "Ameritrash" Shadowrun game, and will still have to wait for one.  I believe there is some Sprawl Ganger warfare thing slated for the future, but it's probably a "skirmish" type minis game.

Crossfire is still a fun solo-able card game.  After hearing of the initial difficulty I expected to get smoked before reaching the final Act 3 on my first run.  Actually made it to the very last Obstacle card in Act 3, after being on the ropes since Act 2 and pulling through with some desperate card play.  That's the sign of a good game when you expect to fail in the next round but manage to keep pulling through a bit longer via your actions.  I also still managed the "Abort" round so gained some Karma (xp) for the future.

One spot where this game would stand out is in a multi-player group who appreciates the setting.  Unlike other deck builders, you must work in unison.  The rules state that players can't show each other their cards, so communicating a strategic approach every turn is a must.  If it's difficult as a solitaire game, it will definitely be more so with multiple people playing Co-Op.

On to some complaints.  Despite being able to draft new cards directly to your hand, the Crossfire mission still put my runners in the position of trying to catch up right from the beginning.  This isn't unusual in a deck builder like this, but it may be more pronounced.  The two different Obstacle decks, whose difficulty is indicated by one and two bullets on the backs, aren't generally very far apart in difficulty.  They're all pretty tough.  Very much so when all the players' starting decks of cards are much less weaker than the ones they buy from the Black Market over the course of the game.  So expect to take steady hits until you've built up enough Nuyen (currency) and turns to spend it on far better cards from the Black Market.  I expect to slide sideways into Act Two screaming and half dead due to playing this game of 'Catch-up' in Act One of every game.  It still felt like I was trying to do so through Act Two, also.  I think this is where the extra difficulty of the game comes from.

I don't think there is a lot of variety in the cards.  In my first run, I burned through almost 40% of the Obstacle cards and somewhat less of the Black Market cards available.  The Obstacle cards all seem to be different (no duplicates), so that should help a bit, but the Black Market cards each have numerous duplicates.  Considering how many runs a player must do to get level-ups and proceed to new missions, expect to see much of the same player-used Black Market cards in every game and become quite familiar with the Obstacles before long too.  The Crossfire deck, which modifies each turn's rules and tracks the increasing difficulty over a run, is relatively beefy and not much of a worry.  Judging by the size of the card holder insert in the box, Catalyst expects to release a lot more in expansions. 

In addition to more card variety, I hope they add some extra mission types and extra mechanics to promote more flavor.  The game feels rather thin right now, in both card variety and mission theme.

[Nefaro]

Ricky Royal posted some gameplay, if you want to see it in action:

[RooksBailey]

Thanks for the write-up!  I had forgotten about this game and just remembered to come down here and take a look to see if you had any impressions yet.  What you wrote is in line with what my impressions were based on the preview vids I watched.  I does sound like it could be a fun co-op game, but for solo play I think I rather wait for something less cardy and more defined.  Speaking of which:  You mentioned a "Sprawl Ganger warfare thing slated for the future, but it's probably a "skirmish" type minis game."  Any idea of where I can learn more?

[Nefaro]

Not much info on Sprawl Gangers out there.  I happened upon it awhile back on BGG.

A recent update on Catalyst's Shadowrun site says it was delayed due to shopping around mini manufacturers. 
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1183071/2-miniatures-revealed

Sprawl Gangers is a competitive, skirmish-level miniatures game for 2 players, with everything needed to game right in the box. Players will take on the task of building gangs (Ancients, Halloweeners, First Nation, and so on) following specific point values of a scenario, and modifying the various miniatures based upon what new resources (weapons/gear/magic/tech) a player gained through previous games. Gangs won't simply fight for the sake of fighting, but will actively building their turfs and resources. Among other things, this will allow for the hiring of the exact right shadowrunner when they need that ace in the hole. All this adds up to the experience of watching your gang grow and expand through exciting play across a swath of games.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/135383/shadowrun-sprawl-gangers


I wouldn't expect to see it for awhile, either way.  Gameplay looks like it could be fun from the synopsis.

[RooksBailey]

Thanks for the info!  And it does sound promising!

[Nefaro]

From what I've gathered, there was to be a slew of digital and tabletop games for the Shadowrun IP, released at about 2 or 3 per year for a short time.  Some of them have been delayed, aside from the 5th Edition RPG, this game, and Shadowrun Returns.  Shadowrun Online has been moving at a snail's pace and the component delays for Sprawl Gangers are the delays I know about.. there may be more planned for the future.